Pupil Development Grant (PDG)

PDG Grant 2025-2026

Introduction

The Pupil Development Grant (PDG) is funding given to schools and educational settings (settings). Settings include nurseries, pupil referral units, and home tuition.

PDG, Early Years PDG (EYPDG), and Education other than at school PDG (EOTAS PDG) funding aim to raise the attainment of children and young people from low-income households. PDG-CLA is given for care-experienced children or children looked after. It does this by reducing the barriers that they often face to achieving their full potential. 

The PDG is a key resource for realising the Welsh Government’s ambition of high standards and aspirations for all.

PDG

The PDG is provided to schools and settings for children and young people aged 5 to 15. Use of the grant should focus on the following key areas:

  • high-quality learning and teaching

  • Community Focused Schools

  • early childhood play, learning and care

  • high aspirations supported by strong relationships

  • health and wellbeing

  • leadership

  • Curriculum for Wales and qualifications

  • supporting post-16 progression

EYPDG 

The EYPDG gives similar support to children aged 3 and 4 in schools and nurseries. This includes both maintained and non-maintained settings. This funding is used to support:

  • emotional and social wellbeing

  • physical development

  • speech, language and communication

PDG-CLA

The PDG-CLA is intended to support the educational attainment of:

  • children looked after

  • children who have been adopted

  • children who are subject to a Special Guardianship Order (SGO)

The Welsh Government is working with:

  • schools

  • settings

  • local authorities

  • regional consortia and partnerships

Together we aim to find where funding can have the most benefit as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and in light of cost-of-living challenges.

How PDG is allocated

The amount of PDG, EYPDG, EOTAS PDG and PDG-CLA funding given to local authorities, schools and settings is based on the number of:

  • children and young people aged 5 to 15 in a school or setting (for example educated other than at school (EOTAS) or pupil referral unit (PRU)) who are eligible for free school meals (eFSM) based on the latest school census (PLASC) data

  • children and young people who are looked after, based on the Children Looked After Census

  • children aged 3 to 4 in a school or non-maintained setting (for example nurseries) who are eFSM based on the latest school census (PLASC) data

Funding is given on a financial-year basis, based on the number of eligible children and young people. Funding is based on the criteria above, not academic ability.